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No. 624,476. Patented May 9, I899.

J. L. GORDON.

STEAM GENERATOR.

(Application filed June 4, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet.

(No Model.)

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Nb. 624,476. Patented May 9, I899. J. GORDON.

STEAM GENERATOR.

(Application. filed June 4, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets$heet 2.

By W.

No. 624,476. Patented May 9, I899. J. L. GORDON.

STEAM GENERATOR.

(Application filed June 4, 1698.)

(No Model.) 3 Shaets$heet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH LUNT GORDON, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

STEAM-G EN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,476, dated May 9, 1899.

Application filed June 4, 1898. Serial No. 682,560. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LUNT GORDON, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Sharon Villa,Oakhill Park,0ld SWan,Liverpool,Eng-

land, have invented a certain new and Useful Steam-Generator, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 25,892, dated November 8, 1897, and have applied for a patent in Germany, dated March 2, 1898,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of steamgenerators in which the fuel consumed is primarily reduced to a gaseous state in a chamber or furnace disposed within the generator and subsequently consumed in contact with the water-heating surface of the generator; and it consists of an improved method of constructing such steam-generators so as to obtain a better resultant effect.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of my improved steam-generator, Fig. .2 being a cross-section on line A B, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section; and Fig. 4 is a cross- Fig. 5 is a part front view of the steam-generator, and Fig. 6

shows a modified form of mechanical stoker- Upon reference to the drawings it will be seen that in a steam-generator according to my invention I dispose the furnace A,in which the fuel is primarily reduced to gas, within the water-space of the generator and eccentrically in respect of the shell'B of the generator. In the crescent-shaped space thus formed between the furnace and the generator-shell I provide a nest of vertical fire-tubes a, which lead upward from the crescentshaped combustion-chamber b in the base of the generator and partially surrounding the ash-pit c to a similarly-shaped chamber 01 in the upper part of the generator, which partially surrounds the steam-space of the gen erator.

The fuel is fed to the furnace A by means of a hopper e. The duct which conveys the fuel from the hopper to the furnace is controlled by the paddle or damper f. In a modificationI construct the paddle as shown in Fig. 6namely, I mount it upon an axle g and provide it with two arms f f, each of which has a flange f for the purpose of closing the fuel-duct, so as to prevent the escape of gases through the hopper. On the spindle g a sprocket-wheel may be mounted, which may be driven by an endless chain operated ends with the combustion-chamber b. The columns D D are of annular constructionthat is to say, they each consist of an internal duct h, of cast-iron, fire-clay, or other refractory material, and an outer casing D, an annular space 1' thus existing between the duct hand the casing D. The function of the ducts G and columns D is to conduct the inflammable gases evolved by the furnaceAand also atmospheric air to the combustion-chamber b.

The gases pass through the duct h, while the I atmospheric air is conducted through the annular passage 2'. The inlet of air to the passage i may be regulated by any suitable valve arrangement; but in practice I employ acircular plate j, which sits upon a grid is, fitted in the annular passage 2', Figs. 2 and 3. The plate j is lifted off the grid in, so as to allow ingress of air to the passage 2', by the bifurcated lever Z, which is operated by the handwheel m- Instead of this arrangement the well-known grid-valve or louver-valve of steam-jet blowers may be employed to control the ingress of air to the passage i.

In order that the inflammable gases pass ing down the duct h may intimately mix with the air passing down the passage 7;, I prefer to cover the mouth of the duct 72 with a perforated slab of fire-clay n, so that the gases issue in jets and mingle readily with the air, or a perforated slab a may be disposed slightly in front of the duct h, so that the air and gases mix before passing through the same. Pipes t" are fitted in the bottom of the ducts h, which conduct air to the mouth of the duct, so as to issue therefrom with the gases, and these pipes are'capable of adjustment, access being had, to them by way of the doors i If de sired, fresh air may be admitted to the pipes i by opening the doors F, or the latter may be fitted with a suitable form of valve.

The combustion-chamber b is lined with fire-clay and possesses a door 19, whereby access may be had to the lower tube-plate of the generator and to the combustion-chamber for cleaning and repairing.

. arranged on an incline below the furnace, the

wedge-shaped space thus formed being inclosed at the sides by perforated plates at and at the front by a perforated plate a, which latter may be hinged at (t so as to swing open when it is required to remove clinker or for other purposes, or the plate a may rest in lugs, as shown in Fig. 4, and be provided with a handle bywhic'h it may be lifted and re- .moved.

Air necessary to support combustion Within the furnace A is supplied by the steam-jet blower E by preference, although this may be effected by a fan or by induced draft.

I prefer to supply a quantity of water to the ash-pit c, which, becoming decomposed by heat, enriches the gases evolved by the furnace.

In operation a fire is kindled in the furnace vA through the door A and the generator is worked for a short time as an ordinary steamgenerator that is to say, the products of combustion pass from the furnace through the, ducts O and columns D to the combustionchamber 1) and thence by the tubes at to the chimney. This is continued until the ducts and h and the chamber 1) become highly heated. Fuel is then heaped in the furnace .A, which results in the evolution of a dense volume of inflammable gases, which pass through the ducts O and h. The valvej is then raised, so as to permit air to be drawn down the annular passaget' and to mingle with the said inflammable gases in the combustion-chamberb. Atthis momentalighted torch is inserted through the firing-apertures b or through the doors i which ignites the mingled streams of gas and airissuing from the duct h. The volume of flame thus produced is directed from each duct h inwardly around the crescent shaped combustionchamber in contact with the'lower tube-plate and ultimately finds its way through the firetubes at to theuptake and chimney.

It will be noted that air in passing down the annular tube 1; becomes highly heated by contact with the hot duct h before it mingles with the gases-issuing therefrom, and the outside casing D is at the same time prevented from becoming unduly heated.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is--' 1. In combination in a gas-fired steam-generator, the furnace A, the two ducts 0 passing through the shell B and leading the gases of the furnace to two vertical ducts h which conduct said gases downward to the combustion-chamber b, the casings D around said ducts h and forming annular spaces ii therewith, and the valvej by which air is admitted to said spaces 7; where it is heated and from whence it is drawn into said combustion-chamber and mingled with said gases and burned, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the duct h for conveying inflammable gases from the furnace A to the combustion-chamber I), having its lower end bent inwardly toward said chamber, a perforated slab it upon the mouth of said bent end, and a pipe t' loosely inserted in the rear part of said bent end and capable of adj ustment toward or from said perforated slab, the rear end of said pipe opening into the airspace surrounding said ducts h whereby air is admitted to said duct and mingles with its gases before they issue from said perforated slab and the diffusion of such air may be regulated by moving said pipe '1; toward or from said slab, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH LUNT GORDON. WVitnesses:

JAMES WM. MEIKLE, JAMES A. CoUBRoUcH. 

